adminThese amounts could be harmful to the health or comfort of humans and animals or this could damage plants and environment.
The substances that cause air pollution are called pollutants and examples include carbon monoxide from car exhausts and sulphur dioxide among others.
Air pollution harms populations in ways so subtle or slow that some of its effects cannot be readily linked to it.
The World Health Organisation states that 2,4 million people die each year from causes directly attributable to air pollution.
It is against this background that EMA, regulates emissions through statutory 72 of 2009 (Atmospheric Pollution Control Regulations).
This is done through its air pollution unit, which monitors point source emissions into the atmosphere. This monitoring focuses on the following broad categories:
Stationary sources
This focuses on fixed sources such as industrial emissions, which emanate from factory chimneys and dusts.
Such stationary discharge points are obligated under the Environmental Management Act (Cap 20:27) and Atmospheric Pollution Control Regulations (Statutory Instrument 72) of 2009 to undertake comprehensive surveys of the type of gases that they produce and their concentrations subsequent to which the discharge points will be licensed.
The provisions of the licence should be adhered so as to reduce pollution levels.
At all times, pollution abatement measures should be in place for any industry with any level of emissions as well as fugitive dust.
All industries and mining ventures whose activities involve emissions must therefore register their stacks/chimneys with EMA in order to allow co-ordinated monitoring as well as receiving advice and guidance on best practices.
Mobile source
Have you ever had an occasion where as you were driving you found yourself confronted by this pungent smell of exhaust fumes from a vehicle excessively smoking in front of you?
If you have, you will undoubtedly agree that this is a situation that has become too common on Zimbabwe’s roads.
Such situations are however, unacceptable as EMA advocates that each and every citizen of Zimbabwe should have a right to a clean, safe environment, free of any materials that may have negative effects on human health.
To this effect, EMA has gone further to monitor motor vehicles to ensure that they are not “smoking” and meet the standards for emissions as set out in the Atmospheric Control Regulations.
Unlike the point source monitoring, regulations do not require motor vehicles to be licensed for emissions but vehicles maybe stopped at roadblocks for the purposes of testing these emissions.
The emission testing is done using a gas analyser for petrol engines and an opacimetre for diesel engines.
If a vehicle is found to be excessively emitting, a fine may be imposed and or the vehicle may be impounded.
Repeat offenders face prosecution and may face imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months.
It can be appreciated that the maintenance of one’s vehicle may not only result in personal savings in terms of fuel but may also have a positive impact on the environment.
Why monitor emissions?
The control of emissions has come in the wake of the rising concerns about the impacts of global warming and climate change.
Vehicular emissions have remained latent for a long time as a source of pollution in this country.
This has seen countries with tight enforcement of these emissions “dumping” used vehicles on our markets and increasing the levels of air pollution.
The health effects caused by air pollution include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions.
Air pollution thus quickly affects asthmatic people. Carbon monoxide, for example, causes apathy, fatigue, headache, disorientation, and decreased muscular co-ordination by driving oxygen out of the bloodstream and can lead to death.
Air pollution also leads to the formation of acid rain which is a form of precipitation that contains high levels of sulphuric or nitric acids, which can contaminate drinking water, vegetation, damage aquatic life, and erode buildings.
Emissions result in the formation of “smog” which is a combination of smoke and fog which greatly reduces visibility and resultantly can cause road accidents.
What does the law say about emission standards of certain activities?
The Statutory Instrument 72 of 2009 on Atmospheric Pollution Control clearly stipulates that the following is not allowed the burning of waste at a landfill and the burning of vehicle tyres.
It also includes the burning of bitumen, the burning of metallic wire coated with any material and the burning of oil in the open air
Every citizen has a responsibility to act in a manner that protects the environment for the benefit of the present and future generations.
It is in this regard that every Zimbabwean has a role to play in the sustainable management of our environment.
Online Reporter